Joe CoffeyHernando, FL

joecoffey@outlook.comWebsite: coffeynotes.com

Amsterdam – City that launched freedom and trade

Welcome and Introduction

• I’m Joe Coffey, a farm boy from US and an economist now retired in

Florida

• Lecture on world affairs in local communities and on cruise ships and

have traveled much of the world

• Looking forward to meeting you and exchanging ideas about this area of

the world

• It’s an economist’s dreamland - gave birth to capitalism and now ranks

high in freedom and prosperity

• Look forward to meeting you personally and chatting with you during the

cruise

• Will entertain your comments and questions in the 10 or so minutes I will

reserve at the end of my lectures

• For those of you who may be interested, copies of my presentations can

be read and freely downloaded from my website coffeynotes.com

1

Confused?

2

• Amsterdam• Holland• Dutch• Netherlands• Low

Countries

Confusing?: Amsterdam, Holland, Dutch, Netherlands, Low Countries

• Amsterdam: Capital but government seat is The Hague

• Holland: 2 major provinces includes Amsterdam, once name for country

• Dutch: Often still officially used for Netherlands

• Netherlands: The Nation-state of 12 provinces, literally “low country”

• Low Countries: also called Benelux countries, coastal region of

northwestern Europe, consisting of Belgium, the Netherlands, and

Luxembourg

2

Dutch have “canonized” their history

1. 1356-1450: Hanseatic League -powerful merchants ruled trade, reclaimed land

2. 1602-1815: Golden Age

3. 1848-90: Rise of modern society, van Gogh

4. 1914-45: World War neutrality, Ann Frank & Dutch Holocaust

5. 1953: Flood killed hundreds and great damage

6. 1959: Gas discovery & economic boom

7. 1960s: Welfare state, democratization, secularization and joining EU, & NATO 3

Canons of Dutch History

• Dutch have “canonized” and even produced a placard of their history: 50 key

periods which that shaped Netherlands and is the basis of history teaching.

We will highlight only 7 of those after 1500

1. 1356-1450: Hanseatic League - powerful merchants ruled trade, reclaimed

land

2. 1602-1815: Golden Age - Rembrandt, Spinoza, Huygens, Hugo Grotius,

Dutch East India Co., Tulipmania, Independence from Spain, Prussia and

France

3. 1848-90: Dutch Constitution, rise of modern society, van Gogh & modern art

4. 1914-45: World War neutrality - light damage in WW I but heavy in WW II,

Ann Frank and Dutch Holocaust

5. 1953: Flood breached dykes, hundreds killed, agriculture damaged, coastal

defenses rebuilt

6. 1959: Gas bubble - natural gas discovery heralded boom

7. 1950s: Welfare state, democratization, secularization, joining EU & NATO

3

4

Significance of Amsterdam

• Most liberal city - early commitment to liberty, tolerance, and individualism

• Birthplace of capitalism - invention of stock exchange and stock company

• Entrepot to world - favorable location to world powers: Sweden, England,

Spain, France, Russia …and powerful shipping and trading companies

• Hippie heaven – practiced gedogen, look the other way attitude on drugs

• Jerusalem of North or Mokum - safe haven for European Jewry

• Venice of the North because of its many canals

• Foster genius – Rembrandt, John Locke, Vermeer, Hugo Grotius, René

Descartes, Christiaan Huygens, Baruch Spinoza

• Book publisher - in Golden Age half of all books in world published in

Netherlands

4

Embarrassment of Riches: Unprecedented affluence yet dread of its corrupting influence

5

Beware of Luxury, 1663

A Burgomaster of Delft and

his daughter, 1654

Fantasy Interior with Jan Steen and

the Family of Gerrit Schouten, 1663

Embarrassment of Riches

• Famous French author Simon Schama wrote “The Embarrassment of

Riches”

• About the contradictions of the Dutch – who attained unprecedented affluence

yet dreaded being corrupted by happiness.

• Due to their continuous battle against the waters of the North Sea, Dutch spirit

can be summed up in the motto "I struggle and emerge."

• Varying dates for Golden Age, Schama dates 1570-1670

• We should caution that their Golden Age was achieved at the cost of

colonizing and hegemony of slave trade (replacing Spain and Portugal as

major players)

5

Simon Schama, The Embarrassment of Riches: An interpretation of Dutch culture in the Golden Age , 1987

Amsterdam – The submerged city

625% below sea level and 65% vulnerable to flooding

Amsterdam – The submerged city

• Netherlands have learned to live with water – 25% of country is below sea

level and 65% vulnerable to flooding

• Amsterdam is capital and largest city of 850,000, but the Hague is seat of

government,

• City named for its origin around a dam in the river Amstel

• Commercial capital and a top financial centre in Europe

• Internationally highly ranked as a best city to live in, tech hub, innovation and

large European seaport, most multicultural city

6

William the Silent (aka William of Orange) (1533–84): Father of Country

7

Nickname "William the

Silent“ because he

rarely spoke out

clearly on

controversial matters

or avoided speaking

about such topics

Netherland’s prominent color? Orange

William of Orange (1533–84): Father of Country

• Orange remains the color of Netherlands

• Leader of the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off

the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) and independence in 1581.

• Wealthy nobleman originally served the Habsburgs governor of the

Spanish Netherlands

• Unhappy with centralization of political power and Spanish persecution

of Dutch Protestants, joined the Dutch uprising and turned against his

former masters.

• Led the Dutch to several successes in the fight against the Spanish and

was outlawed assassinated in 1584.

7

William of Orange (1650-1702)-Holland leader who ruled England

8

Fought “Sun King” & transitioned to Parliament in England

William of Orange (1650-1702)- Holland leader who ruled England

• Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland, and King of England, Ireland

and Scotland

• A Protestant fought wars against the powerful Catholic King of France,

Louis XIV, (The Sun King)

• Invaded England in Glorious Revolution and deposed unpopular James

and William and his wife and Mary reigned

• Being a staunch Protestant enabled him to take power in Britain when

many were fearful of a revival of Catholicism under James.

• William's victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 is still commemorated

• His reign in Britain was the transition from personal rule of the Stuarts to

the more Parliament-centered rule of the House of Hanover

8

Dutch Economic Enlightenment

9

Spinoza – Dutch Philosopher: People, not Crown or Church, own fruit of their labors

Economic Enlightenment

• Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) important philosopher of Dutch Enlightenment - early

advocate of separation of church and state

• 18th-century Enlightenment liberated mind, soul and property, empowering people

to think their own thoughts, worship their own gods, and benefit from the fruits of

their own labor and thrift.

• Labor and capital were to serve their owners, not the crown or church and

stimulated capitalism

• Enlightenment philosophers argued that the crown and church took away the

rewards for work and innovation, and thereby inhibited progress

• Enlightenment established the principle that labor and capital are private property

and not communal assets and thus unleashed advances of knowledge and

production.

Source: Enemies of the Economic Enlightenment, By Phil Gramm and Michael Solon,

WSJ, April 15, 2019

9

For 3 centuries, Dutch richest

10

China highest income

Next Italy

Netherlands highest until England

China once richest, but Europe took over and Dutch long led until British Industrial Revolution

For 300 years, Dutch were richest in world

• For centuries, China was the richest in terms of per capita GDP – exceeding that of

Italy or England in Europe

• After the Black Death of the 1400s, Europe charged ahead as China continued at

about the same level or lower for another 500 years until recent years post-Mao

• Netherlands began to grow rapidly, and surpassed both England and Italy

• During its Golden age of the 1600s, Netherland incomes rose rapidly to double that

of the others

• Italy incomes stagnated and slumped

• After the onset of the British Industrial Revolution, Britain overtook Netherlands by

mid-1800s

10

Source: Economist, April 17, 2019

Geniuses attracted to Amsterdam

11

Home to Great philosophers and scientists

• Erasmus (1466-1536), Christian humanist scholar of Renaissance,

freedom of choice and tolerance, New Testament versions

• Hugo Grotius (1583–1645), Lawyer and jurist. Who laid the foundations

for international law

• René Descartes (1596–1650), French philosopher, mathematician, and

scientist who spent 20 years in Netherlands

• Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695): mathematician and physicist,

astronomer and inventor of pendulum clock - one of the greatest

scientists

• John Locke (1632–1704), English enlightenment philosopher and father

of liberalism, lived 5 years in Amsterdam, influenced by Spinoza

• Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677), First modern philosopher of liberalism –

separation of church & state, early advocate of democracy,

11

Rembrandt captured “interior lives” of Dutch

12The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp - 1632

Rembrandt revealed much of Dutch Golden Age

• Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp – 1632 made him

famous

• Rembrandt (1606– 1669) - one of greatest and most important Dutch artist.

• Amsterdam paintings were different from those earlier of Michelangelo and

Raphael commissioned by and displayed in the church

• In contrast, were commissioned by merchants and emphasized individuality

• This painting was commissioned by Dr Tulp to showcase the lead role the city

claimed in advancing science and being a leading center of medicine

• Public dissections were conducted annually after which they feasted and got

drunk and were fined if they stole a body part.

• Expressions clearly reveal Rembrandt’s talent of knowing and communicating

just who people were – painting their interior lives.

• This painting encapsulates much of history and culture of Amsterdam during

its Golden Age

12

Source: Russell Shorto, Amsterdam, p151,153, 160

Vermeer and later Van Gogh also attracted to Amsterdam

13

Vermeer’s Girl With Pearl Earring (1656) Van Gogh’s Potato Eater’s (1885)

Dutch “Mona Lisa” and honest farm workers

Vermeer and Van Gogh also attracted to Amsterdam

• Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675), paintings were real world scenes, not

of devotional but decorative art people hung in their homes

• Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, many call the Dutch Mona Lisa due

to the enigmatic appearance

• It depicts a European girl wearing an exotic dress, an oriental turban,

and an improbably large pearl earring

• Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853–1890) - One of most famous and

influential in Western art.

• "The Potato Eaters, " van Gogh's earliest masterpiece illustrates his

affection for the simple, rugged lives of common people who have tilled

the earth themselves

• Van Gogh was not commercially successful and committed suicide at 37

after years of mental illness and poverty.

13

Tulip mania – World’s 1st financial bubble

14

From 1634 to 1637, Dutch tulip prices soared 60-fold. At their peak, a single tulip bulb was worth ten times a craftsman’s annual income

Tulip mania – World’s 1st financial bubble

• Dutch were early capitalists and also early victims of capitalisms excess

• Dutch love affair with tulips during the Dutch Golden Age led to "Tulip

Mania"- the first recorded financial bubble

• Tulip bulb prices soared then collapsed and Dutch economy had a

severe crisis - Prices rose 60 times then crashed.

• Dutch tulip bulb traders were predecessors the day-traders of 1990s Dot-

com bubble and house flippers of 2006 housing bubble

• Tulip bulbs traded on Amsterdam Stock Exchanges and even spread to

Paris and London

• Dutch tulip bulb bubble "popped" and caused a mild economic

depression that lasted several years and resulted in a suspicion toward

speculative investments in Dutch

14

15

Why did the Dutch dominate?

◼ part of the Dutch ascendancy was due to its Protestant work ethic

◼ Several other factors: cheap energy from windmills and from peat, easily transported by canal to the cities. The invention[4] of the wind powered sawmill enabled the construction of a massive fleet of ships for worldwide trading and for military defense of the republic's economic interests.

◼ In the 17th century the Dutch gained an increasingly dominant position in world trade, a position previously occupied by the Portuguese and Spanish.[5]

◼ In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was founded- the first-ever multinational corporation, financed by shares that established the first modern stock exchange

◼ The Company had monopoly on Asian trade for two centuries, and became the world's largest commercial enterprise of the 17th century.

◼ To finance the growing trade within the region, the Bank of Amsterdam was established in 1609, the precursor to, if not the first true central bank.

◼ But main source of wealth was trade with the Baltic states and Poland.

◼ Geography favored the Dutch enabling the Dutch to provide profitable intermediation

◼ monopoly for the Dutch East India Company (VOC) for trade with Japan

◼ The Dutch were instrumental in transmitting to Japan some knowledge of the industrial and scientific revolution then occurring in Europe.

Why did the Dutch dominate?

▪ Partly due to its Protestant work ethic

• Cheap energy from windmills and peat, cheap water transport, wind powered sawmill

enabled building massive fleet of ships for worldwide trading and for military defense

• In the 17th century, Dutch displaced the Portuguese and Spanish

• Capitalism: VOC - first-ever multinational corporation, financed by shares

• Had monopoly on Asian trade for two centuries

• Bank of Amsterdam established in 1609 - first true central bank.

• Trade with the Baltic states and Poland.

• Favorable location - to provide profitable intermediation

15

Pioneering Stock Corporation of 1602 that influenced the World

16

Pioneering Stock Corporation of 1602 that influenced the World

• Dutch East India Company (VOC) - government-directed combination of rival trading

companies established 1602 and lasted 200 years

• First corporation listed on an official stock exchange - forerunner of modern

corporations

• Did more than trading and shipping - shipbuilding, production of spices, sugarcane,

and wine and foreign direct investment

• VOC possessed quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war,

imprison, execute, negotiate treaties, strike coins, and establish colonies.

• Went into decline especially after financially disastrous Fourth Anglo-Dutch War

(1780–1784) and nationalized in 1796, and dissolved in 1799.

• Criticized for monopolistic policy, exploitation, colonialism, uses of violence, and

slavery.

• VOC influenced history of many countries such as New Netherland (New York),

Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,

Mauritius, Taiwan, and Japan.

16

Dutch Colonies

17

Dutch Colonization

• As did other European countries, Dutch were early and ambitious colonizers

• Included some 29 countries

• Ranged from New York to Philippines

• Overseas holdings consisted mostly of coastal forts, factories, and port settlements

with without extensive incorporation of their surrounding regions and remained

dependent upon locals as opposed to Dutch immigrants

• Primary purpose of the Dutch colonial empire was trade as opposed to sovereignty

over landmasses.

• Began to decline in 20th century and decolonization in the 1940s

• Despite their reputation for democracy and freedom, Dutch were brutal colonizers –

Robert Kaplan in Monsoon notes the Dutch treated locals in Asia with unbearable

contempt for prime purpose the enrichment of the VOC

• Ship crews were dregs of Dutch nation - homeless men plucked from streets and

ruled with an iron rod like beasts who died in droves – less than half ever returned

17

Polder Model: Dutch consensus-based policy

18

Polders, land reclaimed from sea, require constant care - forces cooperation, otherwise flood everyone

Polder model, From Wikipedia

• Polder model - Dutch consensus-based economic and social policy making in the

1980s and 1990s.

• A pragmatic recognition of "cooperation despite differences"

• Led to tri-partite cooperation of employers, labour unions and government.

• Polder model, combined with a neoliberal economic policy of privatisation and budget

cuts responsible for Dutch economic miracle of the late 1990s

• Polders, land reclaimed from the sea, which requires constant pumping and

maintenance of the dykes.

• Land reclamation forces the different societies living in the same polder to

cooperate, otherwise the polders would flood and everyone suffer

• Even when different cities in the same polder were at war, they still had to cooperate

in this respect.

• This is thought to have taught the Dutch to set aside differences for a greater

purpose.

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polder_model>

18

Despite WW II neutrality, under Nazi occupation suffered disastrously

19

Nazis killed 32 innocent civilians and shot another 231 in Amsterdam on May 7, 1945 - day Germany surrendered

Despite WW II neutrality, under Nazi occupation suffered disastrously

• Dutch tried to remain neutral during WW II like in WW I, but in May 1940 Nazis

leveled much of Rotterdam and forced Dutch to surrender

• Dutch Queen Wilhelmina escaped to UK

• Hunger Winter in 1944-5 was a desperate time

• Closure of gas and power plants left Amsterdam cold and dark

• Nazis stripped took food and resources, leaving mass hunger with Dutch eating tulip

bulbs to survive and 20,000 die of hunger winter.

• Canadian soldiers finally liberated the Netherlands in May 1945.

• On May 7th 1945 – very day Germany surrendered, German Forces in Amsterdam

shot 263 Amsterdammers

• After WW II. Netherlands shattered both economically and spiritually

• 66.000 Dutch convicted of cooperating with Nazis and 900 executed.

• Anne Frank, Jewish Auschwitz victim of the Holocaust, world famous for

posthumous book The Diary of a Young Girl of her life in hiding 2 years during

German occupation.

• Jews had been attracted in 17th century after Netherland’s independence from Spain

and flourished. During Nazi occupation in WW II, 70 % were killed during the

Holocaust.

19

Gedogen – “technically illegal but officially tolerated”

20

Gedogen – “technically illegal but officially tolerated”

• It’s the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil philosophy

• Gedogen refers to not enforcing certain laws.

• Dutch tolerate some offences - like possessing small amounts of cannabis that are

formally forbidden by law

• Amsterdam is proud of its tradition of tolerance, rationalizing it’s better to legalize and

regulate than have it happen anyway

• But being the only place drugs are officially tolerated leads inevitably to attracting

black marketers and mafia

• It’s a “look the other way” tolerance has guided Amsterdam and still does to some

extent – although in recent years prostitution and euthanasia have been legalized.

• Nearly 7,000 or 4% of deaths in Netherlands are listed officially by euthanasia but

actual totals may be higher.

20

Dutch Culture

21Mercantile, explorative, tolerant, cooperative spirit

Dutch Culture

• Diverse due to regional differences and foreign influences of centuries of trading and

attractive society

• Have a mercantile and explorative spirit.

• Long been important centre of cultural liberalism and tolerance

• Enjoyed imports of spices, sugar, exotic fruits -tea and coffee part of everyday life.

• Dutch Golden Age master artists - Rembrandt and Vermeer and later van Gogh,

supported by wealthy merchants

• Tolerant and cooperative yet strived for freedom and liberty

• Bookish – free press, lack of strict censorship, once were world dominant book

publisher

• .

21

Amsterdam – “Hippie Haven”

22

Modern Hippie Market in Amsterdam

Amsterdam – “Hippy Haven – now shoppers heaven

• Known as hippy center of Europe –long history of tolerance and gathering place for

hippies

• Hippies centered at famous Vondelpark park - 10 million visitors annually

• Modern Hippie Market at WesterUnie - beautiful old barrack and shopping for

organic, vintage & hippie brands

• Pendulum beginning to swing back from “every thing goes” and highly tolerant

multiculturalism to more conservative – especially to upsurge in immigration, Brexit,

the economic slump and growing divisions in Europe

22

Once highly religious,

Netherlands commitment

now low, but higher

than Nordics

23

Country or

RegionAffilaite

Attend

Weekly

Very

ImportantDenmark 70 3 9

Finland 78 4 10

Norway 57 7 19

Sweden 58 6 10

Estonia 55 2 6

Netherlands51 12 20Russia 85 7 16

Europe 81 14 23

UK 77 8 10

US 77 36 53World 88 39 54

Religious Commitment, 2018

Source: pewforum.org/2018/06/13/how-religious-commitment-

varies-by-country-among-people-of-all-ages/

Once highly religious, Netherlands religiosity now as elsewhere in Europe

• From one of Europe’s most devout cities in Golden Age to now only 12%

attend church weekly and 20% think religion very important

• Religious commitment has declined almost everywhere – especially in

Europe

• Why? Perhaps social welfare state subsidies - unemployment payments,

sick leave, built-in pensions, etc. have replaced security blanket

functions that churches once provided

23

Dutch Pendulum of Politics swinging to right

24

ConservativeLiberal

Enforcement of prostitution, drug, squatting laws

Dutch Pendulum of Politics swing right

• In 1960s to 90s, one of most liberal cities in the world allowing soft drugs and

prostitution.

• After 2000, legalized prostitution, gay marriage and euthanasia

• Recent years retreating from the liberalized policies - as to legalize something

that the rest of the world does not allow attracts organized crime

• After 9/11, began to debate multiculturalism and immigration

• Has been a rise of far right politicians

• Have stopped policies of paying virtually anyone who applied for artist subsidy

- some 3,000 people participated at a cost of $70 million

• Also cracked down on squatters-which in 1971 became legal to break into

empty buildings and take up residence in but finally declared it illegal in 2010

• To outside world Amsterdam looks like a hippie-crazy city and still has a

strong social welfare system which provides and child subsidy and vacation

money,

• They strive to maintain a society of individuals and cooperation just like their

Dyke building

24

Source: Russell Shorto, Amsterdam: A History Of The World’s Most Liberal City, Abacus, 2013, especially Chapter 10.

Netherlands’ Social Indices outrank US & UK but not Nordics

25

CountryProsperity

Index

Happiness

Index

Education

(PISA)

Life

Expectancy

Corruption

IndexHDI

 Denmark 5 2 17 47 1 11

 Finland 3 1 8 31 3 12

 Norway 1 3 17 21 7 1

 Sweden 6 7 25 16 3 7

 Estonia 26 55 5 83 18 30

 Netherlands9 5 13 26 8 10 Russia 96 68 28 154 138 49

UK 7 15 23 35 12 14

US 17 19 31 43 22 13Source: Indicators latest year available in Wikipedia, April 2019, mostly 2018

Rankings of social indicators for Nordic area

• The Nordic countries rank high in most of the major indicators of success such as

prosperity, happiness, educational attainment, life expectancy, absence of corruption,

and overall human development (HDI)

• As we review each country will we will go into more detail of these indicators, but it is

clear that the four Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden rank

better than either the UK or US or any other major Western countries and especially

far better than Russia

• Most would agree that these indicators are majored desirable characteristics and

features that most countries seek to achieve.

• Will comment as we go along our cruise some of the major factors contributing to

these ratings

25

Netherland’s economy even better than Nordics

26

CountryPer Capita

GDP (PPP)

Income

Equality

(Gini)

Competi

tiveness

Rank

Military

% GDP

Tax %

GDP

 Denmark 22 18 10 98 11

 Finland 27 10 11 75 3

 Norway 7 12 16 68 2

 Sweden 18 13 9 105 5

 Estonia 43 56 32 42 51

 Netherlands 14 19 6 92 28

 Russia 53 82 43 9 100Source: Indicators latest year available in Wikipedia, April 2019, mostly 2018

Finland: Best Country in World?

• The Nordics are the “Almost Nearly Perfect People” – they consistently

rank high in most international rankings – and exceed the rankings of

other major Western Countries such as US, UK, Germany, Canada,

and Australia

• They outrank Russia by a wide margin

• They all have high income, low inequality and very competitive

26

Summary: Amsterdam – City that launched freedom & trade

◼ Hailed as world’s most liberal city, was claimed from the sea, then in 1600s Golden Age led the world

◼ Unique culture attracted and fostered genius, individuality and industriousness

◼ Suffered under wars with Spanish, Germans, French & English, but survived and thrived to remain a leading city – if a little bit hippie

27

Summary: Amsterdam – City that launched freedom and trade

• Hailed as world’s most liberal city, was claimed from the sea, then in

1600s Golden Age led the world

• Unique culture attracted and fostered genius, individuality and

industriousness

• Suffered under wars with Spanish, Germans, French & English, but

survived and thrived to remain a leading city – if a little bit hippie

27

AppendixSupplemental slides with

with background information and data

28

Holland’s per capita GDP rose to double England’s in 1600’s Golden Age

29

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

1500

1504

1508

1512

1516

1520

1524

1528

1532

1536

1540

1544

1548

1552

1556

1560

1564

1568

1572

1576

1580

1584

1588

1592

1596

1600

1604

1608

1612

1616

1620

1624

1628

1632

1636

1640

1644

1648

1652

1656

1660

1664

1668

1672

1676

1680

1684

1688

1692

1696

1700

1704

1708

1712

1716

1720

1724

1728

1732

1736

1740

1744

1748

1752

1756

1760

1764

1768

1772

1776

1780

1784

1788

1792

1796

1800

Per Capita Real GDP of Holland and England

England (part of UK) Holland (part of Netherlands)

Golden Age

The Dutch Golden Age of 17th Century

• Period spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military,

and art were among the best

• The first section is characterized by the Eighty Years' War, which ended

in 1648.

• Golden Age continued in peacetime during the Dutch Republic until the

end of the century.

• Transition by the Netherlands to the foremost maritime and economic

power in the world

29

World War I Europe

30

30

Dutch Colonies

31

Dutch Colonization

• As did other European countries, Dutch were early and ambitious colonizers

• Included some 29 countries

• Ranged from New York to Philippines

• Began to decline in 20th century and decolonization in the 1940s

• Despite their reputation for democracy and freedom, the Dutch were brutal

colonizers

31